Automatic carton handling machine



March 26, 1968 L. c. ROESNER ET AL 3,374,604

AUTOMATIC CARTON HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, 1965 1a Sheets-Sheet 1 March 26, 1968 c. ROESNER ETAL 3,374,604

AUTOMATIC CARTON HANDLING MACHINE l8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23, 1965 March 26, 1968 L. c. ROESNER ETAL 3,374,604

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AUTOMATIC CARTON HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, 1965 18 Sheets-Sheet l1 drrae/ven' March 26, 1968 c. ROESNER ET AL 3,374,604

AUTOMATIC CARTON HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, 1965 18 Sheets-Sheet 12 March 26, 1968 c, ROESNER ET AL 3,374,604

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United States Patent Op,

AUTOMATIC CARTON HANDLING MACHINE Lawrence C. Roesner, Downey, and Lenard E. Moen,

Whittier, Calif., assignors to Precision Produce Specialties, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Dec. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 516,028

34 Claims. (Cl. 5375) This invention relates generally to handling machines for cardboard shipping cartons and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic carton handling machine for performing preselected operations on cartons of different height which are successively delivered to the machine in random sequence.

In its broader aspects, the invention provides an automatic carton handling machine having a frame, conveyor means for successively transporting along the frame the cartons to be handled, and a main operating section containing various means, including power driven cyclic means, for operating on each car-ton advancing along the frame. One important feature of the invention is concerned with a novel infeed gate mechanism for accurately aligning each entering carton with and admitting the carton to the main operating section of the machine in accurately timed relation to the cyclic operating means embodied therein. This infeed gate mechanism is uniquely constructed to progressively arrest each entering carton in such a Way that no damage is incurred either by the carton or its contents and to thereafter release the carton for movement to the main operating section in proper timed relation to the cyclic means. In the course of thus arresting and releasing each incoming carton, the infeed gate mechanism also urges the carton against a fixed guide which accurately aligns the carton relative to the following operating section. Another important aspect of the invention is concerned with a novel organization of the machine, whereby the main operating section of the machine is adjusted automatically in response to the height of each incoming carton in such a way as to permit the machine to handle or operate on incoming cartons of different height which are delivered to the machine in random sequence, all without interruption of machine operation for manual adjustment. In this regard, a significant feature of the invention resides in a unique photoelectric sensing means for sensing the height of each incoming carton and a novel elevating means for adjusting the main operating section of the machine in response to the output of the photoelectric sensing means. The machine is also equipped with a novel sensing means for detecting the presence of a carton at the infeed gate and within the operating section and inactivating the machine against automatic adjustment when the gate is not occupied by a waiting carton or the operating section is occupied by an advancing carton.

While the foregoing and certain other features of the invention may be embodied in carton hand-ling machines of various types, the principal application of the invention involves the closing and sealing of cardboard shipping cartons. For this reason, the invention will be disclosed herein in connection with this particular application thereof.

A wide variety of commercial items are handled in cardboard shipping cartons having top and bottom flaps which, in the completed cartons, are folded to overlapping closed positions and adhesively bonded or sealed to one another. In some cases, both the top and bottom flaps are sealed in a single operation after the items to be packaged have been placed in the cartons. In other cases, the cartons are filled after the lower carton flaps have been sealed in a so called bottom sealing machine. Thereafter, the cartons are run through a so called top sealing Patented Mar. 26, 1968 machine which closes and seals the top carton flaps; The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is such a top sealing machine.

The prior art is replete with a wide assortment of carton closing and sealing machines. Some of these prior machines are designed to handle cartons of only one size or require manual adjustment to accommodate the machines to cartons of different size. Other prior machines adjust themselves automatically in response to the size of each successive carton delivered to the machines. Carton sealing machines of this latter type, then, are capable of closing and sealing, without interruption for manual adjustments, cartons of difierent size which are delivered to the machines in random sequence. As noted above, the present carton handling machine, or sealing machine possesses this capability of adapting itself automatically to the height of each incoming carton. Moreover, the present automatic machine is vastly superior to the existing automatic machines of this type.

Thus, the existing automatic carton seal-ing machine, while perhaps satisfactory from the standpoint of their ability to produce sealed cartons, are deficient in many respects. Among the principal deficiencies of these existing machines are their large size, complexity of construction, high cost of manufacture, low operating speed, and their inability to handle or seal cartons containing relatively fragile items, such as produce. The large size and low operating speed of many of the existing carton sealing machines is due, in large part, to the fact that they rely solely on a cold gluing process to seal the carton flaps. The cold glue employed in this process, while producing an adhesive bond of maximum strength between the closed carton flaps, requires substantial time to set sufiiciently to retain the flaps in their closed or folded positions. As a consequence, the maximum rate at which cartons may be conveyed through these machines is severely limited. For example, many existing carton sealing machines of this type have a maximum operating speed on the order of twenty cartons per minute. Moreover, these machines require a relatively long compression section for mechanically retaining the adhesively coated carton flaps in their closed positions until the glue on the flaps has fully set. This, in turn, results in a carton sealing machine which has a relatively long overall length and necessitates substantial floor space for its installation.

The improved carton sealing machine of the present invention avoids this deficiency by utilizing a combined hot and cold gluing process for sealing the carton flaps. The hot glue which is applied to the carton flaps sets almost instantaneously and serves as a temporary bond which retains the flaps in their closed positions during setting of the cold glue that is also applied to the flaps. This cold glue, when fully set, provides a final, high strength bond between the flaps. Because of this resort to a combined hot and cold gluing process in the present carton sealing machine, the operating speed of the machine is materially increased and the overall size of the machine is materially reduced.

The complexity of construction and high cost of manufacture of the existing carton sealing machines constitutes a more serious deficiency of these machines. This complexity and high cost is due, primarily, to the relatively complex methods and means employed in these machines for handling the cartons delivered thereto, folding the carton flaps, and effecting the required automatic adjustments necessary to accommodate cartons of different size when delivered in random sequence. Such complexity gives rise to the necessity of frequent servicing, renders the existing machines prone to malfunctioning, and results in reduced service life.

The present improved automatic carton sealing machine is vastly superior to the existing machines from the standpoints of costs, complexity of construction, maintenance, and service life. This superiority is achieved by virtue of the fact that the machine components which are required to efiect timed entrance of the incoming cartons, closing and sealing of the carton flaps, and automatic adjustment of the machine in response to incoming cartons of different height are greatly simplified and uniquely arranged. In this regard, for example, attention is directed to the earlier discussion wherein certain unique features of the invention were pointed out. An additional unique and important feature of the present carton sealing machine resides in a rotary flap folding mechanism for closing certain top flaps of each entering carton and simultaneously positioning other top flaps of the carton in the proper attitude to receive hot and cold glue from following hot and cold glue applicators. According to a further important feature of the invention, this rotary flap folding mechanism, the hot and cold glue applicators, and certain following flap closing means and carton compression rollers are mounted on a floating, vertically adjustable carriage within the main operating section of the machine, which carriage is adjusted automatically in response to the height of each incomingv carton, thereby to permit the machine to close and seal cartons of different height which are delivered to the machine in random sequence. The present carton sealing machine, because of its superior construction, possesses a substantially higher operating speed than the existing machines. The present machine, for example, has a maximum carton handling rate on the order of 75 cartons per minute.

As will appear from the ensuing description, the present carton sealing machine is capable of closing and sealing various types of cardboard shipping cartons. 'However, the illustrated embodiment of the invention is designed particularly for operation on cartons of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,197,108. These latter cartons are intended to contain produce, such as avocados, and are sealed after the produce is placed in the cartons. In this connection, a significant advantage of the present carton sealing machine resides in its ability to close and seal produce filled cartons of the type shown in the patent without damage to the cartons or their contents.

It is a general object of the invention, therefore, to provide a new and unique carton handling machine of the character described.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved carton sealing machine for closing and sealing the flaps of cardboard shipping cartons, and the like,

such as that disclosed in Patent No. 3,197,108.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a carton handling or sealing machine of the character described having a main operating section which is automatically adjustable in response to the height of each incoming carton, whereby the machine is capable of operating on or sealing incoming cartons of difierent height which are delivered to the machine in random sequence, without interruption of machine operation from manual adjustment.

A related object of the invention is to provide a carton handling or sealing machine of the character which is efiective to accurately time the entrance into the adjustaple, main operating section of the machine of each incoming carton, sense the height of each entering carton, automatically produce the required adjustment necessary to accommodate the operating section to each carton of different height, inhibit the entrance of each carton to the operating section until this section is properly adjusted to receive the carton, and inactivate the machine against automatic adjustment when no carton is awaiting entrance to the operating section as well as when this section is occupied by a carton, thus to avoid damage to the carton and the machine. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide a carton handling or sealing machine of the character described which has a relatively high maximum carton handling rate.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a carton handling or sealing machine of the character described which is uniquely adapted for operating on or sealing incoming cartons filled with fragile items, such as produce.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a carton handling or sealing machine of the character described which is relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, reliable in operation, requires minimum servicing, has a maximum service life, and is relatively compact in size so as' to require minimum floor space for its installation.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become readily evident as the description proceeds.

With these and such other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the invention, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a carton closing and sealing machine according to the invention;

FIGURE la is a diagrammatic view illustrating the successive operations performed in each carton passing through the machine;

FIGURE 1b are end elevations of certain high and low cartons of the type which are adapted to be closed and sealed in the present machine;

FIGURE 2a is an enlarged side elevation of the left hand end of the machine in FIGURE 1 with the machine covers removed;

FIGURE 2b is an enlarged side elevation of the right hand end of the machine in FIGURE 1 with the machine covers removed;

FIGURE 3a is a top plan view of the left hand end of the machine of FIGURE 1 with the machine covers removed;

FIGURE 3b is an enlarged top plan view of the right hand end of the machine in FIGURE 1 with the machine covers and other parts omitted;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged end view of the machine looking in the direction of the arrows on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2a;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged end view of the machine looking in the direction of the arrows on line 5-5 in FIGURE 2b;

FIGURE 6a is a section taken on line 6a-6a in FIG- URE 3a;

FIGURE 6b is a section taken on line 6b-6b in FIG- URE 3b;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 7-7 in FIGURE 2a;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section taken on line 88 in FIGURE 2a;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section taken on line 99 in FIGURE 2a;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged section taken on line 10- 10 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged section taken on line 11-. 11 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 12 is a section taken on line 1212 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 13 is a section taken on line 1313 in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 showing the illustrated parts in another position of operation;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged section taken on line 15- 15 of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged section taken on line 16 16 in FIGURE 2b;

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged section taken on'line 17 17 in FIGURE 2b;

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged section taken on line 18- 18 in FIGURE 2b; 

8. IN A MACHINE FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CARTONS EACH HAVING AN OPEN SIDE BOUNDED BY HINGED, GENERALLY ERECT SIDE AND END FLAPS WITH OUTER AND INNER SURFACES ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED TO OVERLAPPING CLOSED POSITIONS WHEREIN THE FLAPS CLOSE SAID OPEN SIDE AND SAID END FLAPS OVERLIE SAID SIDE FLAPS WITH THEIR INNER SURFACES CONTACTING THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID SIDE FLAPS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING INFEED AND OUTFEED ENDS, CONVEYOR MEANS ON SAID FRAME FOR SUCCESSIVELY TRANSPORTING SAID CARTONS ALONG SAID FRAME FROM SAID INFEED END TO SAID OUTFEED END WITH SAID SIDE FLAPS OF EACH CARTON FACING GENERALLY LENGTHWISE OF SAID FRAME, THERE BEING A FLAP FOLDING STATION ALONG SAID FRAME THROUGH WHICH EACH CARTON TRAVELS, POWER DRIVEN CYCLICALLY MOVALBE FLAP FOLDING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME WITHIN SAID STATION AND OVER SAID CONVEYOR MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY ENGAGING THE END FLAPS AND TRAILING SIDE FLAP OF EACH CARTON TRAVELING THROUGH SAID STATION IN SUCH MANNER AS TO INITIALLY FOLD THE END FLAPS OF THE RESPECTIVE CARTON LATERALLY OUTWARDLY TO GLUING POSITION WHEREIN THE LATTER FLAPS ARE DISPOSED LATERALLY OUTWARDLY OF THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE SIDE FLAPS ON THE RESPECTIVE CARTON AND THEREAFTER FOLD THE TRAILING SIDE FLAP OF THE RESPECTIVE CARTON FORWARDLY TO ITS CLOSED POSITION OVER THE OPEN SIDE OF THE CARTON, SIDE FLAP CLOSING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME OVER SAID CONVEYOR MEANS FOLLOWING SAID FOLDING MEANS RELATIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID CARTONS ALONG SAID FRAME FOR FOLDING THE LEADING SIDE FLAP OF EACH CARTON TRAVELING THROUGH SAID STATION REARWARDLY TO ITS CLOSED POSITION OVER THE OPEN SIDE OF THE RESPECTIVE CARTON AFTER FOLDING OF THE END FLAPS OF THE RESPECTIVE CARTON TO SAID GLUING POSITIONS, END FLAP CLOSING MEANS ON SAID FRAME FOLLOWING SAID FOLDING MEANS FOR FOLDING SAID END FLAPS OF EACH CARTON TO THEIR CLOSED POSITIONS OF OVERLAPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE FLAPS OF THE RESPECTIVE CARTON, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND FOLDING MEANS IN TIMED RELATION IN SUCH MANNER AS TO EFFECT SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID CARTONS THROUGH SAID STATION IN TIMED RELATION TO THE CYCLIC MOVEMENT OF SAID FOLDING MEANS. 